Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn dies at 54

Tony Gwynn, the greatest player in San Diego Padres history and a Hall of Famer who studied the art of hitting with Ted Williams, died after an extended battle with cancer.

He was 54.

Gwynn, whose 3,141 hits rank 19th on the all-time list, spent his entire 20-season career with the Padres, and was as revered for his upbeat and affable nature as his lifetime .338 average. He earned election to the Hall of Fame with an overwhelming 97.6% of the vote, earning induction alongside Cal Ripken Jr.